Through Her Eyes
by kitkatritrat
Summary: Half-Blood Prince through Astoria's eyes. How she meets and falls in love with Draco Malfoy. Could be considered a sequel/companion to my fic Through Someone Else's Eyes, but you don't have to read that to understand this one. -Kit Kat
1. Prologue

**I suppose you could call this a companion fic or even a sequel to my other story **_**Through Someone Else's Eyes, **_**but you don't have to read it to follow this one. Hope you enjoy!**

**-Kit Kat**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It belongs to Ms. JK Rowling.**

Astoria remembered the first time she had ever met Draco Malfoy. Actually, it was more of a confrontation.

She had been crying. Clutching a picture of her family, she ran down the cold stone halls of Hogwarts until she reached her Hiding Place.

Astoria had discovered the Room in her first year when she was desperately trying to find a place to stash a forbidden Fanged Frisbee. Ever since then it had been her personal haven. Now she once again had something she needed to hide, and her Hiding Place obliged.

Astoria always told people she had nothing to hide. That was true until that day. She decided to hide who she was. She ashamed, or at least she was told she ought to be. Her elder sister, Daphne, had a deathly case of Pureblood Mania.

"She's not worth it, you know," Daph' had spat at her when she found her. Clutching the picture and sitting on her bed looking upset. She missed her parents…both of them. Even if Mum was a Muggle.

"What?" Astoria asked, shocked.

"Mum. She's not a witch, she's not worth missing."

"You wouldn't be here if it weren't for her! It's those awful friends of yours you've been listening to! You're not a Pureblood Daphne! Get over it."

"I wish I was, and if you start telling people exactly _what_ Mum is I'll disown _you_, too."

Devastated, she had left.

Astoria reached her Hiding Place, known to everyone else as the Room of Requirement. The door appeared and she turned the tarnished gold handle. She could hear the caged birds inside chirping. The Room was filled with old things. Stacks of books and an old record player, forgotten broomsticks and ancient-looking chairs, a dirty old tiara. But there was something in her room that hadn't been there before. A person, standing next to an old cabinet and a stone bench. He was pale as the snow outside and wore black robes. He was holding a shiny green apple with a single bite out of it. The boy turned around. I surprise look barely rippled across his face before one of rage overtook it.

"Out!" he screamed at her, throwing the apple at her. Astoria dropped the picture in shock. She heard the glass shatter but never moved her gaze from the pale boys face as he yelled,

"Get out!"

She fled, slamming the door behind her. She had never seen someone so beautiful, yet so angry. She'd hadn't had time to register who he was until hours afterward. He had scared her so much she forgot she'd left her photograph. In fact, she forgot all about the photograph until a few weeks later. But if one thing was certain it was that she wasn't ever going to forget the first time she met Draco Malfoy

**Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review. And don't worry, the following chapters will be much longer. :) -Kit Kat**


	2. Intoxication

Astoria spent the rest of that day with her head lost in the clouds, wondering exactly what Draco Malfoy was doing in her Hiding Room. Then again, it didn't really belong to her, but she liked to pretend it did.

She spent her entire Potions lesson going over the episode again and again, how he had looked at her with such passionate anger in his eyes. He had such horrifying cold eyes. They were the color of stone.

"Miss Greengrass," said a sharp voice above her. Astoria looked up from her desk to see Professor Snape glaring down at her with a contradictory condescending smile,

"Would you care to tell us the three main ingredients in the antidote to an Ashwinder bite?"

"Ummm…" Astoria began, who hadn't been listening at all. She looked around the classroom desperately. Freddie Shumans had his hand so high in the air it might've grazed the dungeon's ceiling.

"Next time, Miss Greengrass, I'd ask that you pay attention. Five points from Ravenclaw, Mr. Shumans. No need to show off." Snape gave the boy a disapproving look and then presumed lecturing the class on the importance of a potion's thickness.

The days passed quickly for Astoria. She loved Hogwarts and hated wasting a precious moment of her time there. She loved her home, too, of course. But lately home had become less of a place to live and more of a place to stay. Daphne strutted around as if everything was beneath her. She refused to touch a television or phone, calling them "pathetic Muggle devices". Astoria was always bitterly reminded of the times before Hogwarts, where Daph' and her old best friend Margie would sit on the phone for hours and Father would complain about phone bills. Lately Daphne acted if Margie didn't exist. Yet the worst part was seeing the sadness and resentment Astoria noticed in her mum's eyes.

Astoria cherished each letter she got from home. She often read them by the warmth of the fireplace and the eerie green light in the Slytherin common room. Sometimes when she looked out the window next to her bed she could see the giant squid swoosh past her window.

Hogwarts was an escape for her. The tall majestic castle was surrounded by lush green hills and the air was always crisp and seemed to be filled with magic itself. Sometimes she just sat by her favorite tree by the lake and listened to the chattering students and the hooting owls that always flew around with letters in their beaks.

She was reading one such letter when Daphne walked in. The common room was nearly deserted considering it was dinnertime, but Astoria had been to exited about her letter to read.

"She misses you, you know," Astoria said nonchalantly as Daphne plopped down in the chair chair next to her.

"I doubt she misses the frogspawn and the rats turning into crumpets, and worse, vice-versa." Daph' twirled her blonde hair and took a copy of _Witch Weekly_ out of her bag. The ironic thing was Daph' resembled her mother most. I was sad. Astoria, on the other hand, took after her father with her red hair and brown eyes.

"You act like we aren't even family anymore."

"C'mon, Ria, it's not that bad." _Ria_ was Daphne's pet name for her. Astoria used to love being called that. Now Daph' mainly used it when she was trying to get Astoria on her side, and not necessarily out of sisterly love.

"You changed, Daph'"

"Change is a good thing."

"Maybe, or maybe your just so full of yourself there's no room left for kindness." And with that Astoria stood up and left, slamming the common room door behind her.

She ran up to the seventh floor and stood by the blank span in the wall. _I want my photograph back, _she thought slowly. A door appeared. As Astoria walked inside she was very careful, because she remembered dropping the photo by the door and didn't want to step on the shattered glass. To her surprised it was there. It was set on the cold stone bench by a tall, dark cabinet with a tarnished silver handle. She sat down on the bench and picked up the frame. The broken glass nicked her hand, but she didn't pay any mind. The two birds in the cage tweeted. She had named the black one Midnight, and the white one Snow. They were small and flighty, and they brought her comfort. She looked down at the smiling faces. It was taken next to the Hogwarts Express just before Daph' left for her first year. Her laughing mother had her pale arms wrapped around her girls, her short blonde curls bouncing. That was the only thing Astoria had got from her mother, her pale skin. Mr. Greengrass stood next to her, smiling widely. Astoria felt hot tears roll down her face. She hadn't realized how sick she was until now. But was home really home anymore?

Suddenly, she heard the creaking of the door opening. Whipping around suddenly, she saw the pale boy standing there. He looked at her with a mix of pity and curiosity. Her closed the door behind him and began to walk forward, slowly. She stood up to leave.

"No, wait," he said calmly, his grey eyes penetrated hers, rooting her to the spot. Astoria felt her cheeks flush and her heart race. She sat back down cautiously…as if in a trance…never taking her eyes off his. She was confused. For all her life she had known Draco Malfoy as a cruel boy and her big sister's best friend's boyfriend, a distant figure of superiority. Wasn't this the part where he told her to bug off and get a life? She remembered the last time she'd seen him, the first time she'd ever met him. He'd had such fury in his eyes…and maybe fear?

He sat down beside her.

"Why are you crying?" he asked. He looked at her as if he was examining a very strange plant. She stared back at him in wondering, his words appeared to have gone right over her head. Once she had processed exactly what he'd said, she surprised herself and answered honestly,

"My family."

"I'm sorry," he replied, seeming at least halfway genuine, "I'd frightened you." This was true.

"My mum's…," she began softly, knowing a huge verbal flogging was going to come from Daph' as soon as Malfoy decided to spread around this juicy news, "…not a witch."

"She's isn't?" he asked coldly, seeming to soak in this new gossip.

"She's a muggle."

"Oh," he said, a bit aloof. He definitely looked startled. So Daphne had succeed in keeping her blood a secret. Astoria decided she might as well blow the whole thing.

"My sister, Daphne, she's all ashamed of her. Like being half-blood is evil or something. She keeps trying to tell everybody we're pureblood. She won't talk about mum, won't even answer her letters. She _hates _her."

"Daphne Greengrass?" Malfoy asked stiffly.

"Yep, my name is Astoria."

"She wouldn't even let you keep the picture, would she?"

"No, Daph' told me to get rid of it She hates being reminded she's not perfect, not _pureblooded._ But why do you care? You're Draco Malfoy, another one of those pig-headed blood purists. Why am I even…"

"I have no idea," he interrupted her rudely, snickering. Yet, he took her hand. Astoria felt a tingle start in her cold fingertips and travel to her heart. _What is he doing? Why? What wrong with me?_ she wondered.

"So why are you here?" she asked.

"_That_," he said, rather snarky, "is none of your business." And with that he left, shutting the door behind him.

Astoria lay in bed that night wondering. She could get his eyes out of her mind. The coldest, perfectly stone grey eyes. His voice, the way he smelled. Like leather and recently ironed clothes and expensive cologne. Astoria's father always said she had a knack for knowing people' emotions. She could feel the conflict inside him. Like he fought with the mirror every day and ended up hating who he saw. He was trouble with a capital 'T'. She hated herself for it, but she adored it. _What am I thinking_ she scolded herself _I must be going mad._ But here was no denying it, as hard a she tried to. She was a bit…intoxicated…with him.

**Thanks so much for reading this! I'm honored. And thanks to my reviewers! You guys rock! -Kit Kat**


	3. Broken

**Sorry guys, but I think this is the last chapter! I've released this story is ending up mostly consisting of the same dialog as it's companion, except from Astoria's POV. And if you've read the other story, well this one doesn't account for much. But if you want to read what I'm calling the TRUE sequel (Deathly Hallows through Draco's POV) I'm currently working on it. It's called **_**These Dark Days Through Someone Else's Eyes**_**_._**

**Thanks!**

**-Kit Kat**

When you think you love someone you don't want to, seeing them only makes it worse. So, if you're smart, you'll avoid seeing them. That's difficult if you keep seeing them everywhere…and they're not there.

Astoria thought she caught glimpses of him in the halls, or in the library. He was always along, and always disappeared very soon. Every face looked like his from a distance. She started to think she was going mad.

She really couldn't tell anyone about this. Not even her best friend, Elaina. It wasn't like she could get a word in edgewise, anyways. All she talked about lately was Slughorn's Christmas party. Who invited who, who declined, who was and wasn't going, etc. Astoria thought this was bait of a lost cause. Most of the members of the Slug Club were sixth and seventh years. The chances of either of them getting invited by and older student were slim to none.

~~~~xXx~~~~

Astoria was visiting the Room less and less. Maybe because it reminded her of someone she'd couldn't get out of her head anyway.

Nevertheless, she had slunk away to visit it one day. As soon as she had slowly pushed the large wooden door open she felt as though she was reliving a memory. There, standing by the near the middle of the room, was Malfoy. Her breath stopped short and she half expected a shiny green apple to come flying at her. Instead, as she was turing to leave, Malfoy spoke,

"No, wait." His voice was the same bored, cold monotone. But it was curious, nonetheless. Astoria walked foreword slowly.

"What is it?" she asked cautiously, her eye bore into his cold grey ones.

"I…" he began, carefully choosing his words, "I want some company."

"Alright…" she said, walking over and taking a seat on the old bench.

"I've been having a bad day." It sounded like an old, overused line coming from him. A pitiful attempt at polite conversation. Yet, against her will, she was intrigued. What possibly could be amiss in the perfect life of a Malfoy?

"What's wrong?" Astoria studied her own response. She sounded small, like a child. Malfoy grimaced.

"I've done somethings I'm not proud of." It sounded like something out of a cheesy paperback novel. _Haven't we all…_ she thought bitterly. But seeing as purebloods were about the most prideful creatures on the planet, this was interesting information.

"Oh," she said, not pressing for details. Malfoy's life was his own business. She knew he'd tell her if he wanted to. She stared at her feet, not knowing what else to say. Finally, she came up with something. She asked the honest question that had been bugging her for awhile,

"What do you do in her?" He seemed taken aback for a moment, but soon resumed a cocky expression.

"I'm trying to fix something that's broken." If this was his attempt at being coy, Astoria wasn't falling for it. Yet her fatal curiosity got the best of her. She gave the best answer-posed-as-a-question possible, and she didn't even know it.

"Your soul?"

"No," said and smiled. It was a devilishly enticing smile, but she didn't like where it came from. He found her cute, naïve even.

"What then?"

"I can't say."

Astoria figured she might as well drop the subject. But she had other questions…

"Do you come here often?" She thought their coincidental meetings were a bit strange. He paused for a moment,

"Yes," he finally answered, "Do you?"

"Yes," Astoria answered, and she was ashamed to admit it, although she explained why, "It seems as if I"m always in here. I think about mum and Daph. Sometimes I just sit and think about nothing at all. Sometimes I listen to the old record player, but the records are all scratchy. Mostly I just sit in silence, and listen to the birds. And sometimes…" Astoria bit her lip. Was she really about to spill all her secrets to an undeserving bigot? But she could stop now.

"Sometimes I cry." He looked at her, perplexed. He raised an eyebrow as if to ask _So?_

"_Why? Why am I telling you this! You don't need to know!" _she shouted, quite upset with herself. The birds fluttered at the unexpected noise.

"I don't care," he told her, "I really, really, don't care. I don't care if you cry, I don't care if you bawl your eyes out. As long as your not bawling all over me," he added sarcastically. She calmed down and smiled. And with that she stood up and left, with one last look over her shoulder.

~~~~xXx~~~~


End file.
